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How did I end up here? Simon asked himself as he sat in the middle of his bed and watched the bio dome’s moon through the large windows in his bedroom. At his side, Ryland Grace laid splayed out across the too-good bed. His leg pressed against the ravenette’s as he slept, casual and comfortable despite the fact that he’d only known the ex-convict for a month. He still might be somehow working with the C.O.I, or he might be some alien monster waiting for my guard to drop. Why’d I agree to this?
However, when he glanced up to the blonde’s peaceful face, he couldn’t imagine the nerdy scientist as an ill-intentioned mimic or hardened soldier like Ava had been. Unlike the captain, Ryland Grace actually brought Simon out of the blood ocean. He’d nursed him through alcohol poisoning, helped him cut the spines out of his skin when they began to grow aong his spine, and he’d even forgiven Simon for the violent panic he’d gone into when he first woke up on the Hail Mary. If he did work for the C.O.I, he must’ve been new to the group.
The more likely option was that Grace was simply a nice man. A nice man who, according to his own admission, hadn’t interacted with anyone who wasn’t an odd rock creature in, potentially, years. So, when he’d knocked on Simon’s door that night with his blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a cloak and the awkward request to share the bed with him, Simon had agreed.
At least this proves he’s not scared of me. He mused while he watched the scientist’s chest rise and fall. Would he be weirded out if I tried laying on him? Popped into his mind as he sat in the patch of moonlight that reached him. Probably not. He said he was touch starved, so if anything, he’d probably appreciate it. With that thght, Simon gently moved to lay beside Grace. Careful to move as slow as he could so as to not disturb the man as he settled in beside him and tentatively laid his head on his chest.
He hated it. At first. It felt odd and awkward, Grace’s body was too warm and hard. However, after a moment, when Simon relaxed into it and breathed in Grace’s scent, the discomfort faded into...comfort. The warmth was nice, actually. The scientist’s solid presence was reassuring afer so long of prison cells, sealed subs, and blood. Grace’s heartbeat was his favorite part, though.
When was the last time I’ve heard a heartbeat like this? The last heartbeat he’d heard was the frantic slam of his own heart in his ears while his mouth filled with the metalic taste of iron and his nose was flooded with the sickly sweet stench of the blood ocean. So, the slow, steady ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump of Grace’s heart was soothing.
Before Simon knew it, he was woken up by the discordant tune of Rocky yowling at the side of his bed. His stone legs stomped on the floor as he waved his arms and said something that the ravenette couldn’t decipher.
Clearly, he was in trouble for not babysitting Grace while he slept.